


Mapping Your Design

by holdinglines



Category: Samurai of Hyuga (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Romance, Drunken Shenanigans, F/M, First Dates, Gen, Matchmaking, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Nerds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 05:10:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10550620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdinglines/pseuds/holdinglines
Summary: After their success in the Shogi Tournament, two special someone's went on a date.  Then their friends decided to 'help'





	

The room was unbearably quiet. Toshio sat across the shogi board from Hashimoto-sama, who was deep in a trance. The first round of the tournament had begun some hours before, and now more than ever did Toshio regret not keeping Takeko in the loop; they had practiced beforehand if the magical connection would work -- especially at this distance -- and from what he’s heard from Hashimoto’s conversation with Takeko...it sounded like they were having a few miscommunications.  
Hayami-san shifted slightly, drawing his attention to the doctor watching them. With Hachirobeij-san, Takeko, and Basho all out for the tournament, she had nothing better to do than join them and ‘watch’ the tournament from this viewpoint. To her credit, she had been remarkably patient throughout the afternoon, but it seemed like it was finally getting to her. He snapped his fingers, making her jump. She glanced at him then quickly looked away, her face red. He held back a sigh and stood up, biting his lip in irritation at the prickly feeling coursing down his legs from sitting for so long. He motioned again for her to follow him and she obliged.  
After shutting the sliding door behind them, she gave a polite smile and said, “To what do I owe this pleasure, Toshio-kun?”  
Toshio took a deep breath and smiled back at her. “You have been a dear companion, both to me and to Hashimoto-sama, Hayami-san. However, I worry that there is little you can offer to help at this current time.”  
Her smile was gone, replaced by a cool steely look. She kept her head up high, as if looking down at him.  
Don’t act so smug, you witch.  
“...I see.” she took a deep breath. “I am sorry to hear that, Toshio, I had thought that maybe my worth wasn’t only as the woman who had saved Takeko-san’s life, but I suppose not.”  
“That wasn’t--  
“You are untrustworthy of me. I understand that, and I understand your hesitation. I also know that, when it comes to magic and such, that I have little to offer unlike Masashi-kun,” she looked down at her interlaced fingers before smiling at him again. “But I want to help. Takeko-san is my friend and I want to see her succeed at whatever it is you three are doing. If you’ll let me.”  
“I admire your dedication, Hayami-san. And you are right, without your medical knowledge we may not have even made it this far, but--”  
“Forgive me for the interruption, Toshio, but there is another point I would like to make.”  
Toshio pressed his lips together at the second interruption, but folded his hands behind his back and nodded.  
“I am terribly sorry, but...is it even your concern if I stay or go? Isn’t that Takeko’s decision?”  
Before he could answer however, a loud clamor followed by an excited “YOSH!” inside the room made them both jump. They turned towards the door, hearing Masashi tripping over gods know what, and saw his beaming face when he all but threw the door open.  
“She did it, she won! I-I mean we won I mean,” he beamed up at them. “You guys, we’re in the tournament! We’ve got this in the bag!”

 

Hashimoto-sama could barely wait for them to put on their shoes before he dashed out of the complex, Hayami-san laughing as she tried to catch up with him.  
“Not so fast, Masashi! We don’t even know where our friends are!”  
“Don’t worry so much, Momoko!” he shouted over his shoulder. “I already told Takeko where to wait for us, and she’ll tell Hatch!”  
Hayami-san finally managed to grab him and swung him around, both of them laughing and swept up in this small victory. Toshio hung back, blending into the crowd and listening to people croon and chuckle at the ‘excitable kids’. He gave a bitter smile at their comments. There was still too much to do before celebrating, and there was no reason for him to be a part of it; if people assumed Hayami-san and Hashimoto-sama were siblings (which they could pass as), and looked rich enough to hire a Kondo servant (and they probably could), they would be targets to any pickpocket or ne’er do well.  
He found himself moving farther and farther away from them, both by the crowd and his own misgivings. Always close enough to see them and keep them safe, but they didn’t even notice his presence or lack thereof. As it was meant to be.  
“Where should we go today?”  
“A new stand selling shaved ice just set up near here. Think they’ll stick around?”  
“Please, once the tournament is over, why stay?”  
There are too many people in this ‘small town’, and how many for the prize ‘to forget’.  
“I need a new pair of slippers.”  
“Did you see that cute boy in line at the takoyaki stand?”  
“He could get it.”  
How many criminals are here? Are cheating like us? Will do anything to win…like us.  
“Can you believe that tournament?”  
“I know! Who da thought there’d be so much drama?”  
“Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.”  
People pushed passed him like a ghost, chatting about this and that, and Hayami-san and Hashimoto-sama were drifting farther and farther away. Soon they’d be at the festival celebrating the first day of the shogi tournament, and he’d have no idea where to find them. He picked up his pace and managed to slip next to them without anyone the wiser.  
“—the REAL trick was getting her to know which pieces to use. It was like playing ‘Eye Spy’ but you can’t see what you’re spying and the person trying to find it is an idiot.”  
“I’m sure Takeko-san wasn’t that bad.” Hayami-san said laughing  
Masashi crossed his arms and scoffed at her. “You give her too much credit.”  
You don’t really mean that, Hashimoto-sama. You’re as proud of her as you are of yourself. Please be more honest with yourself.  
They mingled outside the building, chatting amongst themselves while Toshio scanned for any sign of their companions. While finding Takeko and Hachirobei was definitely important, he couldn’t help but keep an eye out for their ‘sponsor’ Basho as well. He said earlier that he needed groceries, where has that weasel snuck off to?  
Instead of him or Takeko though, the first he found was their gentle giant Hachirobei. He touched Hayami-san’s shoulder, making her squeak in surprise.  
“I’ll be right back.” Before she or Hashimoto-sama could respond he was already gone.  
Hatch was farther away than he initially thought, but people seemed to naturally avoid touching a filthy Kondo, and that made his trek towards Hatch much easier.  
“Hatch-san.” Toshio said touching the man’s arm.  
He jumped and made a sound similar to Hayami did, and nearly dropped the takoyaki he was carrying. “Pissing Spirits, man, we need to put a bell on you!”  
“My apologies, Hatch-san. That was not my intention.”  
“Bah, I know, I know,” he said waving him off. “Just startled me, is all. Whatchya doin’ here, anyway? Aren’t ya supposed t’be with Masashi or somethin’?”  
“We had all planned to get together afterwards to… ‘enjoy the sights’, as it were.”  
Hatch’s jaw dropped. “You mean it’s already over? Good briefs, how long was I standing in line?”  
“A mystery. Is that for the woman of the hour?” he asked looking pointedly at the takoyaki he was holding.  
Hatch looked confused until remembering what he was holding. He chuckled and nodded. “Yep. She asked me to get her some, but I dunno where she is now.”  
She’s probably holed up somewhere then. Probably where there’s alcohol. But if I ask this fool, he won’t see the connection. Maybe. He does enjoy the spirits as much as she.  
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar person entering a building. Basho?  
“Hayashi-san and Hashimoto-sama are looking for you,” he patted Hatch’s shoulder without taking his eyes off of his target. “I’ll pick up Takeko.”  
“Yeah? Y’know where she i—hey! Where’re ya goin’, Toshio?”  
Toshio weaves through the throng of people to where he thought he’d seen the little weasel. By the time he reached the building –a bar, just as he suspected– Basho was already leaving and looked far too satisfied with himself.  
“Toshio, my good man!” he grinned. “If you’re looking for your dear companion, she no doubt in need of a gentleman like yourself.”  
“I am hardly a gentleman.”  
“Nonsense, my dear boy, if you were an actual hyuugan you’d be the picture of etiquette.”  
Toshio kept his face still, refusing to give him the reaction he was looking for. Basho clicked his tongue in what Toshio supposed was disappointment.  
“If you can find some way to sober her up, my cool Kondo comrade, that would be excellent.” with an over exaggerated bow and a flourish of his hands, he left. Toshio took a deep breath and counted to five to compose himself. He needed to keep a cool head, now more than ever.  
He entered the bar. At first he couldn’t see Takeko anywhere. Then he looked closer to the ground, and after a helpful nod from the bartender, he found her curled underneath a table, cradling a sake bottle like it was her child. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.  
He considered nudging her with his toe, but decided against it. She looked like she’d had a bad enough day.  
And I have no doubt Hashimoto-sama will raise hell that she’s been drinking again.  
“Takeko-san, Takeko-san,” he shook her shoulder. “You need to get up, please.”  
She whimpered and curled tighter. With the wounds she’d sustained from her fight with that thing, and how little food and sleep she’s gotten during their journey to Tonogasha, it was a small miracle she could move at all. He lifted her head as gently as he could and pinched her nose. One eye cracked open and looked up at him.  
“It’s time to get up, Takeko-san.”

She stared up at him, as if she didn’t quite recognize him; but she was awake, and that was all he needed. He let go of her nose and she sighed, letting go of the bottle and starting to get up. She hit her head against the table, still half-crouched, as if not quite registering what had happened. Then she fell over.  
If only I could exorcise the spirits possessing her. The detoxification would probably take years though.  
Toshio sighed, grabbing one of her arms and dragging her out as carefully as he could. She clutched onto him for dear life, her nails digging into his arm as she tried to get her feet back under her. She didn’t want to stand straight, no doubt from her wounds, but somehow she managed while still leaning against him.  
“The kid.”  
“He is with Hayami-san and Hatch-san. Hatch-san had gotten you some food, and was eager to eat with you.”  
Takeko snorted. Yeah, that was a tough one to sell, he had to admit. She let out a sigh, blowing into his ear on accident. “Gone.”  
“That is more likely, yes.”  
She sighed, looking down at herself and scowling.  
“You reek of alcohol.”  
“People?”  
“I’ve already told you where our companions are.”  
She shook her head. He wracked his brain trying to think what should could be trying to ask about.  
“There are...many people out for the first day of the tournament. The weather’s still cloudy, but I think the weather will hold for the festivities.”  
She groaned. “The kid.”  
“Will enjoy the festivities far less when he realizes how much you’ve been drinking.”  
“Toshio,” she struggled to focus on him, swaying dangerously close to his face. “Please.”  
He held her gaze, determined to figure out what she was thinking behind the haze of booze. She began to sway again and without thinking he wrapped an arm around her waist and another putting her arm around his shoulders.  
“Let’s go out. You look like you could use some fresh air.”  
“…mn.”


End file.
